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To those who are keep torturing us with these awesome photos,
you know, it is not only hurting the haters but also friends! Jealousy hurts worse.🫠
you know, it is not only hurting the haters but also friends! Jealousy hurts worse.🫠
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I'm in love with this bird.
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TOLGA ÖZBEK'S INTERVIEW WITH THE CHIEF TEST PILOT OF KAAN (NATIONAL COMBAT AIRCRAFT/ MMU/ TF-X) BARBAROS DEMİRBAŞ
Mr. Barbaros, you got on the aircraft, started her engines and throttled her up. What did it make you feel like?
-The aircraft gives you a lot of confidence. Especially when the canopy is closed, the visibility is great. Ergonomically speaking the LAD and its interfaces etc. are very pleasant.
It's a really big aircraft as well. Which aircraft did you get to fly before the MMU?
-I've flown with a lot of aircraft. The number exceeds 40. The majority of my flights have been with the F-4 in the Air Force Command. Later on I started flying with the F-16. I was the commander of the test fleet for 5 years. But KAAN is very pleasant. You see I'm currently flying the Hürkuş, F-16 and the Global 6000. Each and every one of these planes have a special place in my heart but KAAN makes you feel different things. Flying a Turkish aircraft is an incredibly pleasant experience. I sometimes look at its wings, I touch it and get very proud. KAAN really wants to fly. If you look at her lines, lift and control surfaces etc. It's going to be an amazing aircraft.
How many knots did you reach in the taxi tests?
-We didn't go above 15. This aircraft is more of a demonstrator for us. Hopefully we will start modifying her from June onwards and get her ready for flight. This is what we would call a technology demonstrator. We are validating the processes with this aircraft. Because there is intense production and management activities going on. There is a massive organization behind all of this. So this is essentially a trial aircraft. The second prototype which is the P1, will cover the entire envelope. We will start integrating some systems to that airframe. We will achieve 4.5th gen characteristics with our Block 10 aircraft and 5th gen by Block 20's.
What is your foresight regarding P1?
-We are expecting it to fly in 2025. I would say we are lucky and happy to have such a good team. We always managed to meet our objectives in advance of the schedule. Hopefully this won't change.
You probably have high speed taxi tests now am I right?
-We expect high speed trials to take place after November. It could take place in December as well but winter conditions, the conditions on the runway etc. there will be a lot of factors involved.
There is a lot of work left to do then.
-Yes there is. Technical preparation, safety evaluations, our maturity level in the simulator, the production and the efforts to put the aircraft on the flightline are very important. Could there be delays, yes. Seasonal conditions, supply and production could have an effect. But our plan currently is to get this aircraft ready for flight on the 27th of December.
Our viewers kept asking. I thought I would ask you as well. When you were taxiing (during her first taxi test) one engine's nozzle was closed whereas the other one was open. Did you use a single engine during that taxi? Can we hear this from you as well?
-It was our first taxi (laughs). We gave a quick decision regarding the first taxi. The aircraft had a natural pull towards the right. And since the brakes and the stick controls were limited, I used asymmetric thrust to keep the plane on the centerline. Some F-4 experience came into play. But all in all it was a very pleasant experience. Today Gökhan (the other test pilot) was much more comfortable coming in. We get better day by day.
-We started good. I thought we would be experiencing more elemental issues. We first engaged the engines, then the hydraulics, the electrical systems, the cockpit systems were always more mature. We are going well.
Mr. Barbaros, you got on the aircraft, started her engines and throttled her up. What did it make you feel like?
-The aircraft gives you a lot of confidence. Especially when the canopy is closed, the visibility is great. Ergonomically speaking the LAD and its interfaces etc. are very pleasant.
It's a really big aircraft as well. Which aircraft did you get to fly before the MMU?
-I've flown with a lot of aircraft. The number exceeds 40. The majority of my flights have been with the F-4 in the Air Force Command. Later on I started flying with the F-16. I was the commander of the test fleet for 5 years. But KAAN is very pleasant. You see I'm currently flying the Hürkuş, F-16 and the Global 6000. Each and every one of these planes have a special place in my heart but KAAN makes you feel different things. Flying a Turkish aircraft is an incredibly pleasant experience. I sometimes look at its wings, I touch it and get very proud. KAAN really wants to fly. If you look at her lines, lift and control surfaces etc. It's going to be an amazing aircraft.
How many knots did you reach in the taxi tests?
-We didn't go above 15. This aircraft is more of a demonstrator for us. Hopefully we will start modifying her from June onwards and get her ready for flight. This is what we would call a technology demonstrator. We are validating the processes with this aircraft. Because there is intense production and management activities going on. There is a massive organization behind all of this. So this is essentially a trial aircraft. The second prototype which is the P1, will cover the entire envelope. We will start integrating some systems to that airframe. We will achieve 4.5th gen characteristics with our Block 10 aircraft and 5th gen by Block 20's.
What is your foresight regarding P1?
-We are expecting it to fly in 2025. I would say we are lucky and happy to have such a good team. We always managed to meet our objectives in advance of the schedule. Hopefully this won't change.
You probably have high speed taxi tests now am I right?
-We expect high speed trials to take place after November. It could take place in December as well but winter conditions, the conditions on the runway etc. there will be a lot of factors involved.
There is a lot of work left to do then.
-Yes there is. Technical preparation, safety evaluations, our maturity level in the simulator, the production and the efforts to put the aircraft on the flightline are very important. Could there be delays, yes. Seasonal conditions, supply and production could have an effect. But our plan currently is to get this aircraft ready for flight on the 27th of December.
Our viewers kept asking. I thought I would ask you as well. When you were taxiing (during her first taxi test) one engine's nozzle was closed whereas the other one was open. Did you use a single engine during that taxi? Can we hear this from you as well?
-It was our first taxi (laughs). We gave a quick decision regarding the first taxi. The aircraft had a natural pull towards the right. And since the brakes and the stick controls were limited, I used asymmetric thrust to keep the plane on the centerline. Some F-4 experience came into play. But all in all it was a very pleasant experience. Today Gökhan (the other test pilot) was much more comfortable coming in. We get better day by day.
-We started good. I thought we would be experiencing more elemental issues. We first engaged the engines, then the hydraulics, the electrical systems, the cockpit systems were always more mature. We are going well.
KAAN
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Combat-Master
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Where did you read that mate ?
KAAN
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On Twitter
I personally did not read it in Defence Turkey, but they gave Defence Turkey a source. There may be a new interview with Temel Kotil.
It's better to be cautious until you see it directly in the magazine.
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Temel Kotil:
-We have made progress on the TRMotor. The engine will be delivered in 2028. We do not say the engine is delivered unless it doesn't fly.
-We will test the engine for 2 years and deliver Kaan to the Air Force in 2030 with our own engine.
-In 2028, we will deliver 20 units of KAAN from the Block 10 series. There are no problems with the engines. If there is, we will solve it.
-We started producing the parts of the second prototype.
-We are working on a national ejection seat.
-We have made progress on the TRMotor. The engine will be delivered in 2028. We do not say the engine is delivered unless it doesn't fly.
-We will test the engine for 2 years and deliver Kaan to the Air Force in 2030 with our own engine.
-In 2028, we will deliver 20 units of KAAN from the Block 10 series. There are no problems with the engines. If there is, we will solve it.
-We started producing the parts of the second prototype.
-We are working on a national ejection seat.
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I would have ordered for example 400 ejection seats wholesale from the UK first. If there is a problem or if I have such a doubt, then I would invest in the domestic ejection seat. If that's the case, I have nothing against him.
Khagan1923
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So will they start production of P1 after CDR?
Acc. the now outdated timetable CDR was supposed to happen next year. But if I'm not misremembering there was a quote from someone from TAI saying the next 7 prototypes will be produced after the CDR has been done.
And they intend to start production on P1 ( which essentially should be the first "true" prototype) at the end of this year.
Acc. the now outdated timetable CDR was supposed to happen next year. But if I'm not misremembering there was a quote from someone from TAI saying the next 7 prototypes will be produced after the CDR has been done.
And they intend to start production on P1 ( which essentially should be the first "true" prototype) at the end of this year.
Radko
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P1 is in production
GoatsMilk
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When you make the system you know what every function does, you don't need anyone else to tell you how to control it. The manufacture of the plane will be working hand in hand with Turkish pilots and i suspect there would have been a back and forth over what works and what doesn't and eventually they will settle on the best outcome. Those initial pilots who are part of the development process will be used to train other Turkish pilots.
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With ATSS, Tf35K turbofan, APU, AESA Radar, landing gears, canopy, Tulgar HMD and ejection seat programs, National contribution of our institutes for KAAN MMU will most likely exceed %90s in Block20 version.
Zafer
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I wonder what systems will be left to outsource once we make these systems in-house. Some computer chips and microelectronics maybe and raw materials that can be found as commodity.
